Explanation
Background: This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Recreation and Parks Department to enter into contract with Michael Schuster Associates, Inc. DBA MSA Design for the Northeast Indoor Aquatics Center - Phase 1a Project. The contract amount being authorized by this ordinance is $2,000,000.00.
The 2020 Aquatics Capital Improvement Plan (ACIP) paved the way and identified the needs for a new indoor aquatic facility. This document presented a comprehensive long-term plan that evaluates and prioritizes improvements to the Columbus Recreation and Parks Department’s aquatic programs and facilities to better serve the community.
The ACIP summarized that swimming is a vital life skill that offers health and wellbeing. Pools are a strong root of neighborhood pride that offers opportunities to exercise, gather, and connect. It is also important to note that 64% of African American and 45% of Hispanic children have low or no swimming ability. Children within these groups of the same age are statistically 5.5 times more likely to drown than their white counterparts. Drowning remains in the top five reasons for unintentional injury resulting in death from birth to age 54.
The Northeast Indoor Aquatics Center will be located on a parcel that fronts Agler Road between Sunbury Road and Cassady Avenue. Currently, the Recreation and Parks Department is in negotiations with Columbus City Schools (CCS) for the transfer and annexation of approximately 11 acres for the construction of this aquatic center.
It is the intent that CCS students will have use of the Indoor Aquatics Center during the school day, as well as after school in support of athletic program. Columbus City Schools and the Recreation and Parks Department are committed to this partnership serving as a model for future projects.
Although the final building has not been finalized, the Recreation and Parks Department has identified the project to be approximately a 75,000 square foot facility. It will...
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